Preparing for Jesus's return

Verses: Luke 17 : 20 - 37

My thoughts about the verses:

The big question that many people have is when Jesus will return.  They question because they want to know if they have enough time to do the things that want to do.  They question because there is this human need to know the facts of all things.  Yet, Jesus just says that I will return.  You will not know the time yet I will come like a flash of light.

See we as people want to live on a calendar when it comes to our relationship with God.  Just think about if you knew Jesus was coming back today or tomorrow wouldn't you do things differently in your life.  Would you put off praying and helping others or would you go out and help and witness to as many people as you could with what time you had left. If you knew that Jesus wasn't coming back for another ten years what would you do.   Would you quit worry about helping others?  Would you concentrate on making life better for you and your family and put off doing the service of God?

Just think about it when you know that you have a vacation coming up.  Aren’t there steps that you take.  You start getting extra work done at your job so you will not have too much to come back to.  You plan for mail delivery, feeding of the animals and watering of the plants.  You pack the clothes and make sure you have all the essentials you need to make it through the trip.  You limit buying of things in town so you will have more money when you get to your destination.

Shouldn't we treat the return of Jesus the same way.  Start doing extra work to prepare ourselves for the arrival.  Pray for people those are hurting.  You need to witness to those that need to hear the story of love that is freely given by God.  Feed the poor, take care of the weak and help those that others have pushed on the sidelines.  Shouldn't we start packing ourselves with the knowledge that God has given us.  Shouldn't we start packing our essential needs by praising and praying to God.  Limit our desires of this Earthly world and start preparing for the rewards of the next.

We never know the moment it will happen.  We have to prepare now for what could happen in the next moment.  Always being prepared and serving our God should be the center focus of our life.  Knowing this world will come and pass.  Yet, we have an eternal life waiting for us on the other end should be what we are waiting on.  It is so true we cannot take the things that we have here on Earth with us into the next life.  Yet, we can take our praising of God with us.

It even gets more realistic for us when we realize that we are not guaranteed tomorrow.  If you have ever talked to someone who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness you will see a different hunger in their eyes.  There are so many things that they want to accomplish and do before they are gone.  That sense of urgency is something that we should all live by.  Jesus might come today or we might join Jesus today.  Being prepared and worshiping and witnessing to others should be our life work.

Prayer:

Dear God we thank you for loving us.  We thank you for sending Jesus so our slate could be wiped clean.  Thank you for giving us all that we need.  Help us reach out to those that need to hear your word. Help us provide love and kindness to this world.  In your name we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Are you ready for Jesus to return?  What do you need to do to pack your suitcase for the long trip that we have ahead when we go to be with our Savior?

Be Thankful for the Gifts Jesus Freely Gives

Verses: Luke 17 : 11 - 19

My thoughts about the verses:

Imagine being in a world in which you are a total outcast.  That people see you as less than them.   You feel like you are on the most outside of the community.  Along comes Jesus and you know that he can heal you and you ask him to please help you.  Jesus doesn't pause he just says go show yourselves to the priest.  You don't question it and as you are going to the priest you are healed.

Now here is where you have the option.  You can continue on your way to the priest or you can run back to the feet of Jesus and thanks him for the healing you have received.  The Samaritan with Leprosy chose to run as fast as he could back to the feet of Jesus and thank him for the gift that he freely gave him.  the disciples saw this and they were in shock where the others are.  This man isn't even one of us and he has come back to thank Jesus.  Jesus says it was his faith that healed him and for him to walk freely.

Have you been there?  Moments you feel like an outcast of society.  You have feelings as if you do not belong anywhere.  Have you felt that you are not worthy of love?  I know I have felt this way.  If you have been reading the blog you will know that I am one of those individuals that most people think do not deserve the love of God.  That I have chosen to live in sin and because of that I do not deserve the gift of Salvation.

It is amazing how people assume that because I am a Lesbian I do not deserve the love of God.  How many others have we turned away?  I know through my faith that God has wiped me clean.  See what people do is that they judge others and decide the rules in which Jesus will save.  If you are this or that you  cannot be forgiven.  Yet if you live this way or that way then you must already be forgiven by God.

God isn't like that.  God doesn't say only those that are pious can receive the gift of everlasting life. Instead God opens the gift of Salvation to all.  The gift is there for us to grab.  The choice to receive the gift lives within each and every person.  You have a choice to accept or to run away.  We are to be thankful for the gifts God hands to us.  They are freely given and we need to know that Jesus would have died on the cross even if we were the only one that would have made it to Heaven.

The next time you are struggling and you ask God for help.  Listen closely for the answer.  Remember it might not be exactly what you wanted.  Yet, it will be what you needed.  Once you are given the answer and the gift you need then start sending the praises to God.

In fact, as a Christian the first thing you should do is thank God for the new day.  Thank God before you do anything else you will soon realize that your load will be less.  Because when you start giving God the praise for everything which makes you struggles seem less of a roadblock.  Instead the obstacles disappear even before you get to them.  So thank God for your gifts and see how your life will be changed.

Prayer:

God thank you for loving us.  thank you for giving us the gift of life.  thank you for loving us so much that Jesus came to die for us.  Thank you for providing all our needs.  Thank you for accepting us as we are.  In the name of the Risen Savior we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Are you willing to accept that God loves you?  Are you willing to give thanks to God?  Are you being a roadblock to someone coming to Christ?  Do you realize that God loves you just the way you are? 

Our Faith Leads us to Service

Verses: Luke 17 : 7 - 10

My thoughts about the verses:

I grew up always hearing that it isn't through works that we are saved.  Yet, in the next breath I heard that we should be witnessing to others by our deeds and actions.  So as a young person I was so confused.  If it isn't works that I need to do why is there so much emphasis on works?

As I got older I saw how people used their works to hurt people just like me.  They spent a lot of time and energy to convince me and others that our lives were not right in the sight of God.  Imagine the confusion of knowing that you are a child of God but at the same moment being told that because of whom you are you will not enter the Realm of God.  I have a feeling that many of you reading this might be there right now in your walk or have been there in your walk.

Then it came to me through reading of the scripture that we are to first accept Jesus in our lives as the Risen Savior.  Amazingly when you accept the grace of God for yourself what happens in your soul changes forever.  You are no longer held by the chains of despair you are free.

You have a Spirit that has been set on fire to serve the one that humble him to serve you first.  See God sent Jesus so that we may be made whole.  When that fire rushes in your gut and will not let you rest without sharing the good news you are feeling the same rush that Jesus felt.  We then become the servant to the rest of the world.

Jesus was the one that was the head of the household yet, he put himself second so that we could have freedom.  What you realize that the desire to serve comes from this model.  We are to serve because it is something that we feel inside us to do.  We are not to expect great rewards in turn for our service. Serving God isn't about growing your award when you reach the gates.  Instead working for God is helping others find the same love and freedom that we received.

Imagine what would have happened if the disciples had not spread the word far and wide.  The word would have stopped and we would not know about the freedom that God has given to us.  It was just part of their calling to share their testimony to witness about what they saw and to lead others to the saving grace that they needed through the life of Jesus.

When we share our testimony we are continuing that same mission.  We are only doing what the Savior asks us to do.  It isn't about getting more when we get to Heaven instead it is all about keeping the story moving forward.  We should want to work for God because of the way it makes us feel.  When you give yourself over to God you find that the peace that you have can be shared when others hear the story of the one who has set us free.

I know now that God only wants us to do what we are physically capable of doing.  Yet, many of us do not realize what all we can do.  We think we do not have enough time.  We may thing our body is not strong enough.  We put up obstacles to our service to God.  We think I can’t do this or that so I have no way of truly working for God.  I want you to know the secret if you are breathing today then you have a way of witnessing.  If you woke up then you have the capacity of sharing your life.  It doesn't have to be some giant action that people need to see.  What people need to see is that God loves us.  To do this we must love others.  Loving others is simple and that easy to do.

Prayer:

Thank you God for all the blessings that you five us in our life.  Thank you for walking with us and leading us down the paths that you have for us.  Help us never to leave your side.  Help us do something today to show someone you’re Love.  God we know through you we are free helping us show that to the world.  In the name of the one who died for us we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Do you doubt you can do something for God today?  Are you willing to tell one person about the love of God?  Are you willing to help someone find the love of God?  Does the fire of service burn deep in your soul?

How Strong is Your Faith

Verses: Luke 17 : 5 - 6

My thoughts about the verses:

The first thing that we need to understand is what faith is?  Faith is very hard to explain because it is something that is rooted deep within the soul.  A lot of people can explain the concept of believing.  Even more can explain when they accept something.  Yet, when you ask many to explain faith you hear a small stammering in their voice.

So what is Faith?  Faith is the point beyond believing.  Faith is a personal connection with Jesus.  It goes deeper than just believing that God is the creator of life and love.  Faith is the internal knowledge that God and Jesus do exist.  We need to know God will provide all your needs.  The most important thing is the understanding and the acceptance that Jesus died for you.

Faith is the knowledge that when you ask God for your needs God gives you what you need.  People often believe in God yet they hold a part of themselves back.  The thought is that they have to do this or that for things to work out.  We often miss that it is God's desire to be there for us.

Faith is the willingness to turn over our worries knowing that God will take them away.  We need to come to the understanding  God desires us to live a happy and healthy life.  Yes, we will run into obstacles in our life that seem as if God isn't there.  Yet, the one that created us is always there.

A mustard seed is so tiny yet Jesus says that if we had just that amount of faith we could accomplish great things.   Therefor trusting that God will do what we need in our lives would encourage us to be faithful.  Yet, the problem arises when we do not see what we want happening.

Part of my personal testimony involves the fact that I have several illnesses that limit my ability to do things.  When I am sick there are times that I do not post.  There are times that all I want to do is to give up.  People have said to me multiple times that if I just have Faith God will heal me.  Yet, what they do not understand is that the one thing that I needed most was a spiritual healing.  I needed  God to come into my life and strengthen my spirit so that I could continue serving God.  I needed to come to the understanding that I might not ever be able to do some of the things that I used to do.  I am not the same physically active person that I was before.  Yet, that doesn't matter what matters is that God is there in my life keeping my Spirit charged.

My mind hasn't died just because my body is sick.  The fact that you are reading this you should see the gift that God has given me.  I don't have to be the most trained scholar.  I do not have to walk distances to raise awareness for God.  Instead, God utilizes me to reach out to people that may never had an opportunity to hear about the love of God.

Faith then is simply the deep understanding and acceptance that God is there and wanting to be your Savior.  Once you have accepted and leaned on that faith God will provide all your needs.  Faith is the gift that God gives you to help you understand that the things that you will need will be provided.  Yet, to receive those gifts you must turn your life over to God and live within that faith.

Prayer:

Dear God thank you for sending Jesus so that we may be made whole.  Thank you for all the prayers that you answer daily in our lives.  Thank you for blessing us with the gift of Faith.  Help us dear God to give our lives over to you.  Help us turn our needs over to you knowing that you will provide.  Help us in those moments when we do not get the answer the way we wanted it so that we will not lose our faith.  In the name of the one who is Always there we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Do you understand what Faith truly is?  Have you turned over your life to God?  Do you understand that the answers may not be what you want but are what you need?  What do you need to do today to walk closer to God and to grow you faith in the one that loves us more than life itself?

Let go of the hurt by forgiving those that have hurt you

Verses: Luke 17 : 1 - 4

My thoughts about the verses:

This is a lesson that is very hard to take to heart.  For many there are scars that run deep from people that have hurt us.  There is a fear to open ourselves up to being hurt once more.  There are even those times that we have forgiven people to only be hurt by them again.

 I recently watched a documentary called "I Escaped a Cult."  As I watched the movie my soul was stricken with great sadness.  The one man in the documentary talked about his own Uncle who had abused not only him but his brothers.  Imagine how hard it would be able to forgive someone that had hurt you a child.  In this particular story the Oldest brother had turned to drugs and eventually committed suicide.  The pain was so deep inside that he did not know how not only to forgive the perpetrator but also how to forgive himself.

I also think about things that have happened in my own life.  I know that different members of my family pray that I will change and accept that my life is a sin.  Yet, they miss the point that God created me to be just who I am.  It is even hard for me to forgive them for not accepting me the way I am.  I have been with my partner for thirteen years.  We had a commitment ceremony 9 years ago and not one family member was there.  I know many even voted against the right for me to be married.  I had celebrated their marriages and the birth of their children only to feel betrayed.

It is hard to say I forgive those that hurt me.  Yet, when you hold onto that hurt it blocks you from forgiving yourself.  I know you may be asking why I have to forgive myself for the hurt others have inflicted on me.  I tell you simply if you have held onto the hurt you are passing pain and suffering on yourself.  Jesus wants us to let that go.

We are to forgive others for the things that they do so that we can have a more productive life.  If you choose to forgive others you are allowing the Holy Spirit to work through you.  You are letting go of the baggage that they have placed in your life.  You become free to serve God.  It is a Christian act to say you are forgiven.  The bondage of the hurt never rises in your soul.  Your own attitude toward those that have hurt you is better.  You in turn will not hurt them because of what they have done to you.

Imagine a world where people forgive freely.  Did not Jesus go to the cross even though we had hurt him without cause.  Jesus did not strike with vengeance and destroy those that hurt him.  Instead, he gave his life freely so that they may be free and forgiven.

We have had so many events in the news lately where people have taken and turned guns on individuals that have hurt them.  Imagine the freedom that they would have had if they had forgiven them.  Imagine the children that would grow up to be what my partner says "fine Human Beings."  Instead of inflicting pain because of their pain if they had forgiven others they could be on their way to a much better life.

Prayer:

Dear God thank you for forgiven us when we did not deserve it.  Thank you for showing us the example of forgiving others that have hurt us.  Help us never to hurt others with our words and deeds.  Help us forgive those that inflict pain on us.  Help us show the world that forgiveness is the only way to change the world into the world you desire.  In the name of the Risen Savior we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Have you hurt others?  Do you need to ask anyone to forgive you for what you have done to hurt them? Have you forgiven those that have hurt you?  Do you need to let go of hurt that is holding you back from being who you truly are?  Have you asked God to give you the forgiveness that is freely given?